The Koro Sea covers an area of about 58,000 square kilometres (22,000 sq mi; 17,000 sq nmi). It is relatively shallow:[9] its maximum depth is 2,930 metres (9,613 ft), and on average its northern and western portions are shallower than its eastern portion. Theseabed is formed by heavybasaltic rocks characteristic ofocean basins.[10] Rocks,sandbars[7] and numerouscoral reefs between the islands[10] occupy about 411 square kilometres (159 sq mi; 120 sq nmi) of the sea,[11] making navigation possible only through a few narrow passages in its central portion.[10]
The sea separates the two underwaterplatforms from which the Fiji Islands rise. Anoceanic ridge that crosses theNanuku Passage in the northwestern part of the sea connects the two platforms.[12] The region has a high level ofseismic activity.[13]
The entire Koro Sea lies in thetropics.[14] Tropical air currents circulate over it all year round, although changes in air temperature with the change of season is documented. Thetrade winds predominate andtropical cyclones form in the warm season.[15]
Passengerferries provide periodical service from the Koro Sea toOvalau Island.[18] The Nanuku Passage serves as a sea route for importing products into the Koro Sea region.[3]
Scuba diving andsnorkeling are possible in the Koro Sea but are not widely practiced because of the difficulty of safe navigation of its waters.[6][11]
^Lebedeva, Nina Borisovna (1981).Фиджи: История и современность (Fiji: History and Modernity) (in Russian).Moscow: Наука, Главная ред (Science, main edition).
^Скуратович О. Я. (Skuratovych O. Ya.) (2008).Географія материків і океанів (Geography of Continents and Oceans) (in Ukrainian). Vol. 7.Kyiv,Ukraine: DNVP "Kartohrafii︠a︡".
^Spalding, Mark D.; Fox, Helen E.; Allen, Gerald R.; Davidson, Nick; Ferdaña, Zach A. (July 2007). "Marine Ecoregions of the World: A Bioregionalization of Coastal and Shelf Areas".BioScience.57 (7):574–583.doi:10.1641/B570707.
Coulson, F. I. E. (1976).Geology of the Lomaiviti and Moala Island Groups: An Explanation of Viti Levu Sheet 21 and Lomaiviti Sheets 1 to 4.Government of Fiji.
Davis, William Morris (1976).The Coral Reef Problem. R. E. Krieger Publishing Company.ISBN9780882753836.
Mydel, Rajmund; Groch, Jerzy; Adamski, Wojciech (2000).Kontynenty i państwa: Australazja, Antarktyka (Continents and Countries: Australasia, Antarctica), Popularna encyklopedia powszechna (Popular Universal Encyclopedia) (in Polish).Kraków: Fogra; Grupa Wydawnicza Bertelsmann. pp. 239–240.ISBN9788372277374.OCLC749488757.
